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Gilbarco Introduces SMART Meter

New technology eliminates fuel loss due to meter drift in fuel dispensers, the company reports.

May 2, 2005, 08:00 pm

Gilbarco Veeder-Root's Encore 550 line of fuel dispensers, which feature a new generation of metering technology called SMART Meter, is now available. Developed by Gilbarco, it eliminates fuel loss due to meter drift in fuel dispensers, according to the company.

The Encore 550 dispenser uses SMART Meter inferential technology to calculate fuel delivery volume and is built on the same technology used in high-performance jet aircrafts, the company reports. SMART Meter parts move in a suspended state to eliminate the wear leading to meter drift. Also, it is able to sense and react to changes in fuel temperature and viscosity to increase accuracy and adapt to changing fuel conditions.

"Traditional mechanical displacement fuel metering loses accuracy as meter parts become worn," said Richard Browne, vice president for service station equipment marketing at Gilbarco. "By eliminating the wear, and reacting to variables such as temperature and viscosity, Encore 550 with SMART Meter brings a level of accuracy that has been unheard of in fuel dispensers before now."

The limitations of traditional mechanical displacement meters have forced retailers to live with variances in fuel measurement and "meter drift," which is the inability of a dispenser meter to accurately measure fuel quantities because its components have worn from their calibrated setting, according to Browne.

"In fact, many retailers calibrate their meters to pump a little more fuel than a customer is actually paying for, just to make sure customers are not shorted on gasoline purchases," he said. "With climbing fuel prices and increasing competition, lost profits due to meter drift are getting more and more difficult to absorb."

Browne continued, "SMART Meter solves this problem. Field testing has shown that by eliminating meter drift and the need for re-calibration, the Encore 550 with SMART Meter can save retailers $3000 to $5000 per year, depending on their gasoline sales volume."

In addition to improving dispenser accuracy, the SMART Meter contains security features that help reduce fuel loss resulting from theft and fraud, and its electronics are factory-sealed to deter tampering, according to the company.

SMART Meter technology has proven reliable in over a year of field testing nationwide, resulting in millions of gallons of fuel dispensed with consistent, accurate metering results, the company reported. The SMART Meter has received its Certificate of Conformance for Weighing and Measuring Devices from the National Conference on Weights and Measures.